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"I spoke to Antonio Valencia and he gave me some good advice to take this opportunity."

Valencia agreed a five-year contract with West Ham and is already looking forward to the club’s move to the Olympic Stadium.

He added: "When I heard the news that West Ham might come to the stadium, I was delighted. It's a great venue, one of the best in the world and I'm looking forward to playing here in 2016."

Valencia was given an extended break after the World Cup and is set to miss West Ham's Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur as he still needs to build match fitness, but he does not expect his debut to be delayed by long.

"I'm training normally now and trying to adapt to what the manager wants and the philosophy of the club. I'm expecting to be ready in between one or two weeks."